Hampton groups discuss changing face of public transit

BID bus no longer serving downtown

April 11, 2014|By Robert Brauchle, rbrauchle@dailypress.com | By Robert Brauchle, rbrauchle@dailypress.com

HAMPTON — A shuttle bus popular among Hampton University students and tourists in need of a free ride to Peninsula Town Center is no longer available because Coliseum Central has pulled funding for the service.

The free shuttle — known as the BID bus because its funders were the downtown and Coliseum Central business improvement districts — ran on 30-minute loops from late April until late October, making stops in both business areas.

That relationship did not prove to be as fruitful as Coliseum Central had hoped.

That decision throws a kink in plans to better connect downtown to the surrounding attractions. Pulling the BID bus from downtown also directly contradicts recommendations Hampton First presented to the City Council on March 26.

Hampton First — which is made of business owners, artists, religious leaders and residents — suggested the city create an "improved transportation system downtown" that could include light rail and better access to Interstate 64.

Such improvements "would be very advantageous to us," said Hampton First leader William Harvey, who is also the president of Hampton University.

University spokeswoman Yuri Milligan said the BID bus was a convenient way for freshmen and sophomores, who are not allowed to have cars, to visit Coliseum Central. The service was promoted during freshman orientation last year.

"We continue to have conversations with downtown and city officials about transportation options for our students," Milligan said.

So when it comes to hyper-local transportation decisions in Hampton, is there a single person or committee in charge of overseeing decisions?

It doesn't appear so.

No unified voice

"We need to complement each other with these decisions and not compete for the same dollars," Fort Monroe Authority Executive Director Glenn Oder said.

Authority officials have discussed a shuttle service — either by land or by water — that connects Fort Monroe, Phoebus, Hampton University and downtown. While Oder said the project is a long-term vision, connecting those areas is a "place we could all grow."

Such connections will spur people to stay longer, patronize more businesses and require fewer parking spaces for everyone, Oder said.

City, business district and Fort Monroe officials said a forum doesn't exist for everyone to discuss how to better connect Hampton's commercially significant areas beyond a few emails those people have exchanged.

"Fort Monroe shouldn't operate independently" when it comes to connectivity, Oder said. "It is an integral part of growth and revitalization here."

What's next?

Jimmy Cerracchio, executive director of the Downtown Hampton Development Partnership, wants to replace the BID bus with another shuttle that could run to surrounding neighborhoods.

Also known as a neighborhood circulator, the bus would carry residents short distances to popular local destinations such as Fort Monroe, Phoebus or Buckroe.

Creating such transit will reduce the fuss of finding parking while giving residents in neighboring areas a low-cost or no-cost way to get to their favorite destinations downtown, he said.

"It's something that we're looking at, as well as the routes and cost of it," Cerracchio said.

Collecting Fort Monroe, Phoebus and Hampton University into the fold would strengthen ridership and sources of funding, he said.

"This is, by no means, a done deal," Cerracchio said.

McCoury said the Coliseum Central BID is considering rerouting its shuttle to the Boo Williams Sportsplex, although that decision isn't finalized.

"I think it could get people into the shopping district who might not otherwise go," she said. "We're looking for another opportunity that could provide a greater return on our investment."

Downtown and Coliseum Central equally split the $34,320 bill for the bus in 2013, Cerracchio said.

In 2012, the most recent year available, about 4,400 riders used the BID bus during its 10 months of operation.

Hampton City Manager Mary Bunting said the city could do more to coordinate public transit with the business improvement districts. But as it stands now, the city is focused on getting people in cars from place to place.

"We're largely a driving market," Bunting said. "People want to bring their car along when they move around, and that needs to change over time, but we're trying to make it easier for them to understand where they are going."

The city is trying to place signs in specific areas to direct motorists to areas such as downtown, Buckroe and Coliseum Central.

Bunting said Harvey and Hampton First also need to be involved in discussions about public transit downtown.

The city will pay Hampton Roads Transit $4.1 million this fiscal year to operate close to a dozen routes through Hampton and that connect riders to other localities.